1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel battery mounted motorcycle, and in particular, to the arrangement of the various components associated with the fuel battery on the motorcycle.
2. Description of the Background Art
Fuel battery mounted motorcycles are known, for example, from Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 3-109126 entitled xe2x80x9cFuel Battery Mounted Motorcyclexe2x80x9d. As shown in FIG. 1 of the above document, the above technique discloses an electric motorcar 1 using a fuel battery 13 as an energy source, wherein the fuel battery 13 is disposed in a lower central portion of a vehicular body 2 (note: reference numerals are cited from the document).
In the case of using the fuel battery 13 as an energy source, as will be described later, a motorcycle must be provided with, in addition to the fuel battery 13, a fuel tank for storing methanol, a reformer for generating hydrogen, a secondary battery for storing an electric power generated by the fuel battery 13, and the like. Further, in the case of mounting a fuel battery like the fuel battery 13 on a motorcycle, the layout of the fuel battery, reformer, secondary battery, and the like becomes important. The principle of power generation by a fuel battery and one example of a fuel battery system will be hereinafter described.
FIGS. 15(a) and 15(b) are diagrams illustrating the principle of power generation by a fuel battery, wherein FIG. 15(a) shows the principle of electrolysis of water, and FIG. 15(b) shows the principle of power generation by the fuel battery.
Referring to FIG. 15(a), the electrolytic process of water (H2O) is performed by filling a water tank 101 with water (H2O) in which an electrolyte such as sulfuric acid (H2SO4) has been dissolved; setting electrodes 102 and 103, each of which is typically made from platinum, in the water tank 101; covering the electrodes 102 and 103 with containers 104 and 105, respectively; and applying a current, from a DC power source 106, between the electrodes 102 and 103, whereby oxygen gas (O2) is generated on the electrode 102 side taken as the plus side and hydrogen gas (H2) is generated on the electrode 103 side taken as the minus side. In the figure, an arrow (exe2x88x92) designates the flow of electrons and an arrow (H+) designates the flow of hydrogen ions.
Referring to FIG. 15(b), the power generation process is performed in accordance with steps reversed to those shown in FIG. 15(a), that is, by filling the container 104 with oxygen gas (O2) and the container 105 with hydrogen gas (H2); connecting a load 107 between the electrodes 102 and 103; and making the oxygen gas (O2) and hydrogen gas (H2) electrochemically react with each other in water (H2O) in which sulfuric acid (H2SO4) as an electrolyte has been dissolved, whereby a current flows in the load 107, and the oxygen gas (O2) is bonded to the hydrogen gas (H2) to produce water (H2O).
As shown in FIG. 15(b), the process of power generation of a fuel battery is reversed to the process of electrolysis of water shown in FIG. 15(a). The fuel battery system will be described with reference to FIG. 16.
FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing one example of the fuel battery system. A fuel battery system 110 includes a fuel tank 111 for storing methanol; a reformer 112 for generating hydrogen from methanol and water; a fuel battery 113 for making hydrogen generated by the reformer 112 electrochemically react with oxygen in air; a first pump 115 for supplying outside air to the fuel battery 113 via an air cleaner 114; a second pump 116 for supplying hydrogen from the reformer 112 to the fuel battery 113; a catalyzer 117 for receiving water vapor from the fuel battery 113 and carbon dioxide gas from the reformer 112 via the fuel battery 113 and for reducing the amount of carbon dioxide gas; a water tank 118 for receiving water from the catalyzer 117; a secondary battery 119 for storing an electric power generated by the fuel battery 113; and a motor 122 connected to the secondary battery 119 via a control unit 121. In addition, the secondary battery 119 also functions to store an electric power generated by the motor 122.
In the figure, a hollow arrow (CH3OH) designates the flow of methanol; a hollow arrow (H2) is the flow of hydrogen gas; a hollow arrow (O2) is the flow of oxygen gas; a hollow arrow (H2O+CO2) is the flow of water vapor and carbon dioxide gas; and a hollow arrow (H2O) is the flow of water.
As described above, in the case of using the fuel battery 113 as an energy source of a motorcycle (not shown), it is required to provide, in addition to the fuel battery 113, the fuel tank 111 for storing methanol, the reformer 112 for generating hydrogen, the secondary battery 119 for storing an electric power generated by the fuel battery 113, and the like. In the case of actually mounting the fuel battery 113, fuel tank 111, reformer 112, and the like on a motorcycle, it is required to examine the layout of the fuel battery system 110 including the fuel battery 113, fuel tank 111, reformer 112, and the like from the viewpoint of various factors such as the weight balance, maintenance, and design.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a technique of mounting a fuel battery on a motorcycle, which is capable of optimally arranging the fuel battery, a reformer, a secondary battery, and the like.
To achieve the above object, there is provided a fuel battery mounted motorcycle including a low level floor, characterized in that at least one of a fuel battery and a reformer for generating hydrogen is disposed in a lower portion of the floor. With this configuration, since at least one of the fuel battery and the reformer for generating hydrogen is disposed in a lower portion of the floor, it is possible to lower the center of gravity of the motorcycle.
The reformer for generating hydrogen may be disposed, together with the fuel battery, in a lower portion of the floor. With this configuration, since the reformer for generating hydrogen is disposed, together with the fuel battery, in the lower portion of the floor, it is possible to further lower the center of gravity of the motorcycle, and also to shorten pipes for connecting the fuel battery to the reformer.
A secondary battery may be disposed, together with the fuel battery, in a lower portion of the floor. With this configuration, since the secondary battery is disposed, together with the fuel battery, in the lower portion of the floor, it is possible to lower the center of gravity of the motorcycle.
The secondary battery may be located on the front side of the lower portion of the floor, and the fuel battery may be disposed on the rear side of the lower portion of the floor. With this configuration, since the secondary battery is located on the front side of the lower portion of the floor and the fuel battery is disposed on the rear side of the lower portion of the floor, it is possible to increase a load distributed on a front wheel and thereby keep the weight of the front wheel in balance against the weight of a rear wheel, and to improve the maintenance workability of the secondary battery.
The secondary battery and the fuel battery may be stacked in the vertical direction in the lower portion of the floor. With this configuration, it is possible to easily change the capacity of the secondary battery by disposing the secondary battery on the fuel battery, and to lower the center of gravity of the motorcycle by disposing the secondary battery under the fuel battery.
The reformer may be disposed, together with the fuel battery and the secondary battery, in the lower portion of the floor. With this configuration, since the reformer for generating hydrogen is disposed, together with the fuel battery and secondary battery, in the lower portion of the floor, it is possible to lower the center of gravity of the motorcycle, to centralize the system including the reformer, fuel battery, and secondary battery, and to shorten wires or pipes for electrically or fluidly connecting them to each other.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a fuel battery mounted motorcycle including a fuel battery, a secondary battery, a motor, and a belt-type automatic transmission, characterized in that the belt-type automatic transmission is disposed on one side with respect to a center plane of a vehicular body of the motorcycle, and the secondary battery is disposed on the other side with respect to the center plane of the vehicular body. With this configuration, since the belt type automatic transmission is disposed on one side with respect to a center plane of a vehicular body of the motorcycle, and the secondary battery is disposed on the other side with respect to the center plane of the vehicular body, it is possible to keep the weights on the right and left sides of the motorcycle in balance.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.